The Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004. It includes three national parks in Indonesia on the island of Sumatra: Gunung Leuser National Park, Kerinci Seblat National Park, and Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park. The site is recognized for its beautiful natural scenery, important natural processes that continue to happen, and habitats that help protect species in their natural homes. In 2011, the site was added to the Danger List to address problems such as hunting illegal animals, cutting down trees without permission, farmland spreading into the area, and plans to build roads through the site.
Location and size
The Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra includes three national parks: Gunung Leuser National Park (GLNP) (8,629.75 km²), Kerinci Seblat National Park (KSNP) (13,753.5 km²), and Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (BBSNP) (3,568 km²). Together, these parks cover a total area of 25,000 km². This site was chosen because it represents a large portion of the rainforests on the island of Sumatra, which are home to diverse lowland and mountain forests. Over 50 years, much of the island’s rainforest has been reduced to smaller, isolated areas.
The national parks are located along the important mountain range known as the Bukit Barisan Mountains, often called the "Andes of Sumatra." These mountains provide striking natural backdrops to the lowland areas of Sumatra. The region includes features such as Lake Gunung Tujuh, the highest lake in Southeast Asia, and Mount Kerinci, a large volcano. It also has many small volcanic, coastal, and glacial lakes within forested areas, showing the natural beauty of the region.
All three national parks have a wide range of habitats and support high levels of biodiversity. Together, they contain about half of Sumatra’s total plant species. At least 92 species commonly found in GLNP have been identified. The area is also home to the world’s largest flower (Rafflesia arnoldi) and the tallest flower (Amorphophallus titanum). The Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra was added to the World Heritage List in 2004. This included 2.5 million hectares of Sumatra’s rainforests, recognized by UNESCO for their rich and varied biodiversity.
Geography and climate
Gunung Leuser National Park is located in the northern part of the island. It is 150 kilometers long and more than 100 kilometers wide. Most of the park is mountainous. Forty percent of the park has steep slopes that are more than 1,500 meters high. Twelve percent of the park, in the southern part, is below 600 meters. This area extends along the coast for 25 kilometers. Eleven mountain peaks in the park are more than 2,700 meters high. The highest point is Gunung Leuser, which reaches 3,466 meters. The area around Gunung Leuser is called the Leuser Ecosystem.
Kerinci Seblat National Park is in the central part of the island. It stretches 350 kilometers along the back of the Bukit Barisan mountain range and has an average width of 45 kilometers. The area is about 2,000 meters above sea level. The northern half of the park has a lower eastern mountain range that is between 800 and 1,500 meters high. Three-quarters of the park has steep slopes. The highest point in the park is Mount Kerinci, which is the highest volcano in Indonesia and stands at 3,805 meters.
Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park is also 350 kilometers long but has an average width of 45 kilometers. The northern two-thirds of the park are rocky and have an average height of 1,500 meters. The highest point in this area is Mount Pulung, which is 1,964 meters high. The southern half of the park is lower in elevation. Ninety kilometers of the southern part is a cape, and the park borders the sea for half of its length. Many rivers begin in the park, and there are several lakes and hot springs.
The mountains have high temperatures, high humidity, and high rainfall throughout the year. In wetter areas, rainfall lasts for 9 months, and in drier areas, it lasts for 7 months. This climate has helped many new species form and has created a wide variety of life. Gunung Leuser National Park receives 3,000 millimeters of rainfall in the northern part and 4,657 millimeters in the southern lowlands. Temperatures average between 21°C and 28°C, and humidity is always above 60%, especially above 1,700 meters. In Kerinci Seblat National Park, rainfall averages 2,990 millimeters. Temperatures range from 16°C to 28°C, and humidity is always high, between 77% and 90%. In Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, the western part receives 3,000 to 4,000 millimeters of rainfall during the November to May monsoon season. The eastern part gets 2,500 to 3,000 millimeters of rainfall, and temperatures range from 20°C to 28°C.
Flora and fauna
GLNP is one of 18 Indonesian regions named by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) as part of the 200 global ecoregions important for protecting the world's biodiversity. In 2000, 174 mammal species were recorded, including 3 that are found only in this region and 21 that are at risk of disappearing. Not much is known about smaller mammals. A total of 380 bird species were listed, with 13 found only here and 52 at risk. Important species include the orangutan, Sumatran rhinoceros, and pigtailed monkey. Important plants include Rafflesia arnoldi and Amorphophallus titanum. Other important birds are Rueck's blue-flycatcher and white-winged wood duck.
In KSNP, 85 mammal species were recorded, including 5 found only in this region and 23 at risk. A total of 370 bird species were listed, with 13 found only here and 58 at risk. Important mammals include the Bornean clouded leopard, Asian tapir, and Sumatran rhino. The park has the largest known population of Sumatran tigers, making it one of 12 Globally Important Tiger Conservation Landscapes. Important birds include the white-winged wood duck and Sumatran ground-cuckoo. Important plants include Hopea beccariana and Shorea ovalis ssp. seicea.
In BBSNP, 98 mammal species were recorded, including 1 found only in this region and 25 at risk. A total of 379 bird species were listed, with 7 found only here and 58 at risk. The park also has 59 reptile and amphibian species. BBSNP shares the same bird species as KSNP. Important mammals include the Sumatran elephant.